We chose to eat an early dinner at Mario's for its proximity to Logan airport ( 7" drive ) and the good reviews we had read. We were able to get a reservation earlier in the day, actually arrived early and were seated immediately. We enjoyed the pleasant wait staff but found it to be a bit slow on the service. We both enjoyed an ample portion appetizer of fried Calamari served with homemade marinara. Quite good. Our meals of Veal Parmagiana and a pasta dish with white sauce and shrimp were also very good. The shrimp done perfectly! Meals included a traditional Italian salad and bread. The dessert choices were amazing. Best cannoli we have ever had and Pistachio Gelato. Mario's is a good choice for a casual solid very good Italian meal but not outstanding. read more

My brother found a recommendation for this place on Reddit while we were visiting Boston. We took the train from downtown Boston, and then walked over (super easy). The family there was so welcome and friendly to my family and my sister who has Down syndrome. I got the gnocchi - but the family ordered all kinds of stuff and everything was delicious I don't think they have a bad dish on the menu! read more

Mario's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Outstanding service. Welcoming. Authentic. Some might be intimidated by the location. But it's a quaint- feels like family restaurant. Street parking was challenging, but 2-hrs allowed before 6PM M-F. Bathrooms clean. Bruschetta. Lasagna & Meatballs. Fresh Italian bread. Garden Salad. 5 stars. Pistachio gelato and Cannoli desserts - 5+ stars. read more

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What a treasure this place is!! I love those tiny holes in the wall that turn into a gem. This place checks all the boxes. Gregarious staff, great menu with reasonable prices. My entree was veal Parmesan with a layer of spinach . Sooo yummy. Hubby had Lasagna special with meatballs. Not a morsel left on his plate. Be sure to save room for dessert. Their tiramisu was the bomb!! Be sure to check this place out in East Boston! read more

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I swear this was the most delicious Italian food I have ever had! Was visiting Boston over the weekend and luckily decided to dine at Mario's and eat some of the best food in the city. The service was great, very friendly and helpful for deciding what to order! I ordered the Burrata which was yummy and came w fluffy sesame bread. Our meal included a complementary side salad which was a nice touch. But the star of the show was the Lobster Ravioli which honestly changed my life. SO delicious, I have never had sauce like that before and it was probably the best food I had my entire trip! I don't know how it was so good! I will definitely be back the next time I find myself in Boston! read more

Great little quant Italian restaurant. Great service and great food! Exactly what I would imagine in Italy! read more

Mario's Restaurant - Homemade lobster ravioli! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Flew in from SLC and staying over at a local hotel before heading to the Cape. What a great find in Mario's. Food was great and the family owners were amazing! Just a wonderful friendly local place. Terrific! read more

Being mid July and summer crowds, getting a reservation at a good Italian restaurant can be difficult. We were able to book a 5:45 reservation which worked fine. We arrived on time and were seated promptly. The restaurant is busy and tight quarters with the bar downstairs. They offer patio seating in the square across the street but you must specify that when making your reservation. We ate upstairs which has a quaint old home feel. Waiter wasn't exceptional, offering little advice on dishes but we chose to split a Caesar salad, rigatoni & Sunday ragu along with the chicken Marsala. Portions were generous and the food was good. The pasta was al dente and gravy was very rich and meaty with sausage, meatballs and short rib. The chicken was plentiful with like 3 cutlets and delicious Marsala, asparagus and mushrooms. Took home a good portion because we couldn't finish it all. My only complaint was the lack of interaction with the waiter but, again, it's mid summer and very busy with tourists so I'll let them slide. read more

Homemade pasta is here! The wait is worth it. Probably the best lobster ravioli I've ever had. It was only four pieces of ravioli but it was big with big chunks of lobster inside. Delicious. read more

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The food was excellent, Service was attentive and non-intrusive. Menu is complete and the wine list is limited but has some good selections. read more

This is the best Italian restaurant in Boston, full stop. The owner, Ursula, knows what you want to eat before you know what you want to eat, and the service feels like family. It's a classic red sauce restaurant, and would stick to that for the best items. The Alla Mario is the definition of how seafood pasta should be made and the gnocchi sorrentina is fantastic. The veal dishes are also very good - they don't overdry out the veal - the Alla Ursula is a personal favorite. No liquor, only beer and wine - it's pretty small and fills up quickly, so would reserve ahead of time or be willing to wait (it's worth the wait). read more

First night in Boston and traveling alone. I called Shara's to see if they would take a walk in and they said to come and they would accommodate. The staff here are amazing. They checked on me constantly and were genuinely friendly . I had the lasagna and meatballs. The lasagna was great. I don't know what cheese they use but it was the best! It definitely has a homey family style feel. No fancy frills, just good people. read more

This reminds me of a small mom and pop resturant. Not dressy but the min we walked in we felt like family. The food was delicious. We had calamari, lasagne and lobster ravioli and everything was great! We will definitely go back when we are in town again. read more

The service was first rate and could not have been better. The food was very good as well. I would recommend this restaurant. It had a warm friendly atmosphere. read more

For 4 1/2 stars I expected a bit better ...walked right in on a Sat nite. Many open tables...very utilitarian atmosphere. Could make the place a lil more homey. Bare brick walls. The metal chairs on tile floor was like nails on a chalkboard. Waiter was very pleasant and efficient. Eggplant app and Burrata were very good. . Chic Parm was plentiful and tasty Same with chic limone The veal scallopine with shrimp and mussels was flavorful ...I gots the p Homemade pasta with red sauce and it was one of the freshest I've had. The fresh filled cannoli rivals the North End. The tiramisu was a lil mushy. Overall not a bad take. The North End still rules read more

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Friend down to earth staff and the food... traveled from Maine specifically to have this amazing food again!! read more

Mario's Restaurant - Lasagna and meatballs!! Amazing! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Been going to Mario's for years. This visit was disappointing as menu seems to have shrunk with pizza taking over.

Old school Italian. Not cheep but large portions. Excellent family style service. I would recommend a reservation

Super cute mom and pop spot, delicious food, quaint atmosphere. Made us feel like family. Service was family friendly and my toddler ate almost the entire pasta a la vodka. read more

Stopped in on 8/18/25 for dinner after our flight from BOS to PSP was canceled and looking at reviews on Yelp. This is the quintessential Italian-American restaurant serving food common to many Italians on the East Coast of the US. We shared a fettuccine with shrimp and the most delicious pesto sauce I've had in a long time. (Bonus! It is traditional and not made with cream as is served in many restaurants.) Also shared a veal parmiagiana with eggplant, and served with a side of penne and red sauce. Equally as delicious. Almost as important as the food was the welcoming and kind nature of Ursula and her staff working the front of the house. It's not often I find restaurant owners working in their own places but love it when I do because it adds to the places charm and success. She seemed to know most of the guests and even some of their favorites. It was like being invited to someone's house fir dinner. Their menu includes a selection of pastas, chicken, and veal dishes. Mario's is a simple place with delicious food and a super welcoming owner and staff. Next time were spending the night in East Boston were going back to Mario's. read more

First the Ambiance is very warm and friendly. We were welcomed by our server that has been here 41 years. The service was exceptional! And the food is amazing. The lasagna with meatballs was delicious. I will wholeheartedly recommend this place for dinner any Monday through Saturday, 3 pm to 9 pm. read more

Mario's Restaurant - Mario's Italian restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Staff very welcoming and polite. Food was good, cozy clean comfortable place. I had pizza and my sis had the lamb kabobs.

Old school family restaurant with reasonable prices, friendly service and authentic recipes. What else could one ask for?

Visiting from Atlanta and was looking for a dinner spot. Stumbled across this place online and decided to give it a try. This was the best Italian food we have ever had. I don't even have any pictures because we ate the food so fast and cleaned our plates! The people were very nice as well. read more

Definitely one of the best Italian Restaurants I have ever eaten in. Beats the North End in Boston. (Also in NYC, NJ, and RI.). Very reasonable priced for dinner only. All four of us enjoyed are delicious meals. Chose 1 Alla Sophia (Shrimp dish), 1 Alla Ursula (Veal dish w/ eggplant), 2 Alla Lisa (Veal dish w/ artichoke hearts, broccoli, and mushrooms). Wonderful gracious staff. Small place. Sat. do need to make reservations ahead of time. Virginia S. read more

It is exactly what it says it is, it doesn't pretend to be anything else, and it does what it's supposed to do perfectly. We were hoping to find an authentic family-run neighborhood Italian eatery that serves old-school Italian-American classics, and that's exactly what this is. The food was terrific. Again, we stuck to the classics: chicken parm, fettuccine Alfredo, ravioli with meatballs, and the calamari and bruschetta apps, and everything was great. Food came out quickly, it was paced well, portion sizes were great, and everyone enjoyed it. My wife and daughter also got a cannoli and a tiramisu, which they raved about. As a nice surprise, all of the entrées came with a large, crisp, fresh side salad with a nice vinaigrette. Couldn't have asked for more. And even more amazing was that the by-the-glass Chianti was legit good. (And I think my second pour was like 14 ounces.) This was all in a cozy, brick-walled dining room with a super friendly and helpful staff. Seriously, they must have checked on us 10 times during our meal to make sure everything was OK. And this comes at a price that's comparable to your local godawful Italian chain restaurant. So if you're in the neighborhood or staying near the airport, I'd highly recommend this place. read more

What a great neighborhood spot! The calamari was fresh and tasty! Prices were reasonable and the portions were great! The bolognese, chicken a la Ursula and lasagna special were phenomenal. Highly recommend checking this place out, great service, great food, and a great time. Don't miss out on dessert! read more

I am in the area for business and just wanted a home style pasta and meatballs. Nothing fancy nothing over priced. Just good old school Italian food and I found it in this little gem of Mario's. The bread was perfect crusty and soft Inside. Even the simple house salad was just right. They have some nice items on the menu but I got their bolognese with pappardelle pasta and two meatballs and I got exactly what I craved. Home style Italian supper. It's not a fancy place. The waitresses were wonderfully pleasant and feel like family and it was just a great dinner. Go there. Thank me later. Oh I didn't post a picture. Because well 1. It's pasta the way mom served it and 2. I ate it too fast Mangia!!! read more

Mario's is a mom & pop restaurant just 5 minutes away from the airport~~it was highly recommended by a friend who's an Italian local (apparently #1 on TripAdvisor too). My mom and I started off strong with some of the best Italian food in Boston and we agreed everything was sooo good! The Vitello & Pesce Alla Ursula, Lobster & Crab Stuffed Ravioli Alla Vodka, fried calamari, and shrimp scampi were absolutely amazing all around :) The calamari was lightly fried with a wonderful marinara sauce, lobster ravioli had real, chunky lobster, shrimp scampi was my second fav dish bc of its homemade garlic bread drenched in their amazing lemon buttery sauce, and the Vitelli & Pesce Alla Ursula was probably my mom's favorite, with sautéed seafood, vegetables, and veal. With the freezing cold weather outside, ambiance felt cozy and nice. Service was warm with an Italian passion. We ordered too much that we had leftovers, and no room for dessert sadly. Their lemon sorbet looked amazing though. Bookmarking for next time! read more

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You can't visit Boston without going for great Italian. Saturday nights mean crowds in the North End so finding this hidden gem in Chelsea. Family run, this was like walking into Nonna's kitchen. And what a meal! We opted for an appetizer of Italian sausage with cherry peppers. The sausage arrived sliced and perfectly grilled and was a phenomenal yet simple opening volley for our meal. Our entrees were varied and included Chicken Ursula (our waitress and hostess was Ursula and it's clear she knows food), Veal Limone and Fettuccine Alfredo. They were preceded by a house salad resplendent with an Italian vinaigrette which appeared to be crafted in house and half a loaf of the lightest Italian bread. Bread refills came quickly when staff realized our boy was a bread maniac. Chicken Ursula was chicken cutlet layered with eggplant and nestled in a homemade marinara, the veal limone was piled high on top of penne drenched in a lemon butter sauce and the fettuccine was so good it was gone before a picture could be taken. Portions are huge! Despite feeling full, we could not pass up dessert. Again home made. I had the magnificent lemon mascarpone cake and a cannoli as well. The cake was perfection, cake light and full of flavor. Go! read more

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We had a reservation for four adults and two kids, meeting family staying at the airport. It's about a half hour walk through the park from the airport Hilton, which was a big selling point! My sister asked if there was a kids' menu. There was not - BUT when the server got to the kids, he asked them great questions like "Do you want that to come with red sauce? Just plain, sounds great. Do you want butter on the pasta instead?" that showed he had experience with small people and their needs. (Ask for Antonio - he took such good care of us!) We had multiple substitutions, changes, and questions based on everyone's needs. ("Can this be made vegetarian?" "Can I have the appetizer as my entree?" "Can everything come out at the same time?") The server was incredibly knowledgeable, and if they couldn't accommodate, immediately suggested a great alternative. Everything came out perfectly, from the apps to the specials to the drinks. DEFINITELY get the arancini! It was great service, and not too many people, even on a Friday night. Surprisingly reasonable, too. We'll be back! read more

Holy smokes!!! WHAT A GEM I found in East Boston. Mario's is a little bit of heaven. I went because of the previous Yelp reviews. From now on I will go because of Ursula, Barbara and the amazing food. The sign on the wall says, "The closest thing to momma's cooking." They sure got that right. Not only was I able to order off menu, but food was exceptional. The thing I loved most was the atmosphere and old school love that you could just feel. It was like I got invited to a family gathering at Auntie Ursula's house. Good people all engaging in conversation. Sharing about life and showing care for each other. No talking about all the things that separate us. Just some people who've know each other for years taking some time to yap it up and get to know this stranger from Los Angeles (me). I can't say it enough. If you are near Logan Airport, drive 6 minutes away and go to Mario's. You won't regret it. If you are ready to treat yourself, order my off menu dish which is now called "The Earl". See the pic below. Please support local small businesses like Mario's. They are what's right in the world. read more

Mario's Restaurant - "The Earl" Vitello & Pesce from the menu with a veal chop instead of the scallopini. Veggies and scampi shrimp, mussels and clams.. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Fantastic food. Great service. Tasty desserts. Perfect ambiance. My absolute favorite is the Veal Alla Ursula. Served of course, by Ursula herself. Been to Italian restaurants in the North End many times, and always enjoyed their fine Italian dishes. But Mario's beats them all. read more

We were so lucky to discover this cozy family joint. They accommodated our larger party and didn't rush us through dinner. Amazing home style Italian dishes and the tiramisu was the best I have had in a long time. Truly a hidden gem. We will be back the next time we visit Boston. read more

Mario's Restaurant - Lasagna and meatballs. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I'm not Italian, but I really felt this was the "closest thing to mama's cooking." I have never felt so welcomed and loved in a restaurant. The staff are incredible and something about being called "sweetie" really makes me feel comfort. The fettuccine alla Sophia was *chefs kissed* this place is a hidden gem & away from the hustle and bustle of the north end. There's enough space to have dinner with a party of 6- I just recommend to call in advance read more

Mario's Restaurant - Fettuccine Alla Sophia - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Amazing! Our last dinner after a week in Boston. Hands down, the best food & service we've had. Small, family owned friendly ambiance. And their tiramisu is the best we've ever had. Highly recommended!! read more

A great family run restaurant. Good food , and excellent service always! My favorite. read more

Mario's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

YOU MUST GO HERE! By far one of the best meals I've had ever, Italian food notwithstanding, and an amazing and intimate dining experience as well. My company had a leadership meeting here and we left so full & happy that sadly there was no room for dessert at the end! The atmosphere is like you're at an Italian friend's house and their grandmother is back in the kitchen making her own recipes. Dining area is small and cozy but that adds to the charm - and you may drive right past it as the exterior decor is somewhat simple and nondescript. We had a flurry of cold and warm appetizers and ate every last olive. Charcuterie board, risotto cakes, calamari, tomatoes with mozzarella...I could have eaten these for the main course. The crown glory was my veal topped with eggplant. I had no idea this even existed and while I was seriously full halfway through dinner, I literally forced myself to finish the entire plate! It was perfect, and explains why when I have subpar Italian food, I tend to sound critical. It's just that it's not too difficult to get the basics right but where other restaurants easily miss, Mario's delivers over the top quality and flavor. The wait staff talks to you like you're family and this made for a very intimate and cozy dining experience. I can't wait to come back here on my next Boston trip! If you're considering one the established neighborhoods for Italian food, do yourself a favor and come here first. You'll be amazed and I promise you'll leave extremely happy! read more

Mario's Restaurant - Veal & eggplant Parmesan - OMG So Good!!!! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

What a really nice find in east Boston. This family owned Italian restaurant is tucked in a busy Chelsea neighborhood and definitely will be on my repeat list for the area. Well worth the visit. GRAZIE to the great staff who made me feel like family and so nice. I don't give but a few 5 stars but this place deserves 10. read more

Visiting East Boston area this past weekend , I knew that I wanted to grab some e take out at Mario's Restaurant. Excellent Italian like your mom would make. Quaint and very simple dining room and I love the atmosphere even though I got take out this time. We ordered ALLA LISA $22 grilled chicken topped with sautéed artichoke hearts, broccoli, mushroom, zucchini CHICKEN VEGETALE $22 chicken cutlets topped with sautéed peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, onion And BROCCOLI RABE $14 sautéed in olive and garlic The food was amazing. Reasonably priced as both dinners came with penne & sauce and a house salad. With amazing Italian bread too. Both chicken dishes had pounded thin chicken breast with tons of vegetables in each dish. The pasta and sauce was great too. And a solid garden salad with house Italian hit the spot. The ONLY reason I gave 4 Stars is the broccoli rabe was a little stringy and wasn't cooked with oil out personal preference. Parking is tough on the weekends but definitely worth the trip you won't regret eating like MAMa used to make. See you soon Mario's! read more